Bébé de l'espoir
by victrolannights
Summary: As the snowflakes gently thump against the warm window of the hospital and melt into the past, Fitz and Olivia realize what hope truly means. A collection of one-shots surrounding around the birth of their first baby.
1. It's A New World

**If you are a past reader of mine, this story might be a bit different for you as I've only ever written Gossip Girl fics. With getting ready for college and other craziness happening in my life, I don't really have time to sit and write like I used to. Honestly it saddens me because writing has always been a passion of mine and a stress-reliever as well. So on this lovely January night with snow on its way, I wanted to take a moment from my busy life to sit and write a little thought I had in the shower (which is how a lot of my fics come to fruition :P).**

**If you are a new reader, my name is Becca, nice to meet you :) I have been an Olivia and Fitz shipper for over a year now, but have never written an Olitz fic. Go easy on me, and I hope you'll enjoy this because I've found there's not many like it. **

**Also tomorrow kicks off #GladiatorWeek on my YouTube channel! I'm posting a new Scandal video every day, so check out at AleccaOfficial! I'll also be doing weekly episode reviews so check it out.**

**Without further ado, here goes nothing.**

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><p><em><strong>2020<strong>_. A new year, a new decade, a new ripple in time. The cool air beats against the window in excitement, sending small, tender snowflakes to melt on the warmth emanating from behind it. It is 2 AM, and the streets of Burlington, Vermont are hauntingly quiet. The lights of the city have slowly faded, and all of its residents are in deep slumber. The only sounds come from inside the building with the warm windows, where the machines beep softly and TVs murmur in the distance. For most, the celebration of the New Year has come to a close. But in this building, two people are wide awake, captivated by the first gift 2020 has brought to them.

"She's ours, Livvie."

A soft hand caresses the tiny baby in the pink blankets, so tenderly as if not to break her. Both sets of eyes are locked on her, watching her sleep peacefully after going through the turmoil of entering the world. Her lips are like his, her mad curls like her mother's. But she is completely _theirs_, and the thought is enough to send them both into a mix of sheer panic and joy.

"She's the dream." Her mother whispers, the corners of her mouth turning into a slight smile.

Neither parent wants to tear their eyes from her, not yet. They feel as though time is paused, only moving when they are reminded it exists by the small tap of the snowflakes against the hospital windows. There were many babies born at the University of Vermont Hospital tonight.

But only one is theirs.

They thought they would never get here, never see her flushed cheeks or touch her delicate fingers. It was a fantasy, one they could only cling onto with hope. In dashes of red and black, hope was all they had, and there were some moments where they had thought it would kill them. The world had set expectations, placed weights on their shoulders that threatened to push them down into the ground.

But hope brought them through.

The baby in the soft pink blankets was evidence of that. It wasn't the Tiffany wedding band on her finger or the gold band on his. It wasn't the house in Vermont, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new member of the household. It wasn't the 'I love yous' and the promises that he kept.

It was her. She encompassed all of that and more.

He loved all of his children. She was not his first, and certainly not his last. He can remember every child's entry into the world, and the feeling that he had as he looked down at them in his arms.

This was different.

It was not that he loved her more or less than the others. She just represented something entirely different. They had fought so hard to bring her here, to just hear a strong cry pierce through the thick and stagnant air. And they had won. All was handled, all was perfect.

They knew when morning broke, things would be challenging again. The media trucks will be lining up, friends begging to hold her. So they cherish this moment, when it is just the three of them. His head rests against her tired shoulders, arm lightly supporting her as she cradles the baby. She soaks in the warmth from her tiny family, her body trembling from the overwhelming sense of love she feels.

"I love her." She murmurs, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. He kisses a stray tear gently away, wrapping his arm tighter around her.

"More than you love me." He asks sarcastically, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. She smiles and sniffles, finally tearing away her face from the bundle.

"Sorry." He laughs and kisses the tip of her nose.

"I'm going to get it right this time." He promises, looking deeply into her eyes. She knows he means it, and despite all of the events of the past, she knows he will truly make a good father. Over the past nine months, he had agonized and stared at ceilings anxiously awaiting her arrival. She had grabbed his hands and placed them to feel her from inside of her, reminding him that she was _theirs_. Through cravings and swollen feet, he had carried her through the finish line. She did not have to live through any of that to know what he was saying was the truth. His eyes told her that.

She wanted to be the mother she never had. She had wrestled with the daunting task in front of her almost every night of her pregnancy. She would rock in the grey chair and look out over the vast green gardens on their property wondering how she would be somebody's mother. Through lonely nights in Washington, she had taken care of herself. Now she was responsible for a little life, a life that would be shaped by her. She knew with him by her side that she could do it, but years in politics and law had made her cold, and she longed to feel the warmth from his chest when she felt the shivers wash over her once more.

In this moment, the symphony of their relationship had finally reached a slow, joyful harmony. And as she leaned in to affirm her belief that he would be an amazing father with a chaste kiss, she felt the bundle in her arms move slightly. She slowly turned her head to look back down at the baby who had captivated her from her first breath, her husband meeting her glance. She locked eyes with her daughter's, who was looking intently at her parents. They could not help but to smile at her registering their faces, and taking in their love.

"Welcome to the world Isabella Rose." Olivia murmured.

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><p><strong>If you'd like to see more Olitz from me, make sure to leave a review. Thanks for reading! By the way, the title translated from French is "Baby of Hope". Just sounds much fancier in French ;) Happy TGIT week!<strong>


	2. White Heart

**I thought this would just be a one-shot, but because of the overwhelmingly positive reviews and the love I have discovered for this story, I have decided to continue it. I cannot necessarily guarantee set times that I will publish a new chapter, but hopefully they will be frequent.**

**Send any one-shot requests to my Twitter (itsmebeccax) and I'd be happy to consider them. I have a few in mind but would love to hear any input you may have.**

**Three more days until the midseason premiere! I cannot wait. The first video in my #GladiatorWeek series on my YouTube channel (AleccaOfficial) was just posted! Check it out and make sure to leave a comment. It is the Scandal Tag, so it is a fun way to get to know me more as a Gladiator ;)**

**Thank you so much for the support and enjoy this update! So happy to be writing again.**

**-B**

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><p>Spring showers tap ferociously against the sliding doors of the grand Vermont home, threatening to soil the day ahead. Inside the house, high heels tap furiously against the floor while pots and pans clang excitedly in hurried preparation. There is a light tension bouncing throughout the halls, but all of it drops to the floor with the loud slam of a door. The house grows suddenly quiet, and after a few moments of heavy silence, yelling can be heard.<p>

She calculates each and every step to the door, knowing full well what lies behind it. She might have handed over the reins to Olivia Pope and Associates, but she will always be the fixer. As she goes to open the door, her husband comes tumbling out, the door slamming behind him even louder than it had before. She notices a visible crack that has formed by the handle.

"She won't listen to me. You talk to her." He storms down the hallway in a predictable fashion. She knows he will blow off steam outside, or with a small glass of scotch, before he returns to the day's festivities. Today, she's okay with that. It gives her more than ample time to do her job.

"Karen, open this door right now." Olivia demands calmly, crossing her arms across her chest. After a few moments of silence, she tries again.

"Karen, it is in your best interest to open the door before I get Secret Service to kick it down." She tries, this time raising her voice a bit. Sure enough, she hears the door unlock and is met with the eyes of her 19 year-old stepdaughter.

"What do you want?" She yells to her stepmother's calm and collected face. Olivia places her hand on the door.

"May I?" She asks politely, challenging the young adult with her eyes. The tension in Karen's shoulders loosens in defeat, and she treads over to her unmade bed. Once seated, she locks eyes with her stepmother's challenging, dark orbs.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Olivia asks knowingly.

"Because she isn't my sister." Karen challenges, her body stiffening. These words were not new, but ones that had been lingering in the air for quite some time. So Olivia lets them settle once more, her only noticeable reaction a slight shift from toe to heel. She knows there is something that will follow.

"And you're not my mother."

Olivia crosses her arms tighter around the top of her stomach.

"You're right. I'm not your mother. I am your stepmother, but I'll never be your mother." Karen slams her hands down on the tangled bed sheets. Olivia's unwavering calmness always has a way of getting to people.

"No. You are nothing but my father's _whore_. Do not think we can _ever_ be friends. I did not come here for you, or for my despicable father, or for the _illegitimate _child you want to baptize in the house of the Lord. I came here for my mother's political career and for the future one I am building. I'll need my Daddy's support just like my poor father needed his. It's the name of the game, you know that from being a political fixer, right?"

Silence. Olivia fights the fire blazing from her stomach by taking a small step forward, looking down at the floor. She smiles ever so slightly, a nervous habit she still has not broken, and looks back up at the infuriated girl.

"First of all, I'd like for you to refrain from calling me a whore, considering that now I am legally Mrs. Grant." She adjusts the ring on her finger ever so slightly before continuing.

"I do not care, quite frankly, why you came here. But talking to you as a fixer and not as your stepmother, coming here and not attending the actual baptism because of a feigned illness or whatever botched plan this is will not help you nor your mother's careers. Your father does not require your presence for political support anymore, and I do not need it either. Your presence, or lack there of, may make your dad furious and frustrated, but other than that your it has no effect whatsoever. However, returning back to me as your stepmother, I want you to know your sister, who was conceived after marriage in case you were interested. You would not have known that since you did not attend our wedding, come to my baby shower, or visit us in the hospital after she was born, even though you conveniently attend Wellesley College less than four hours away. Fitz fought very hard for you to get into that, you know, since you decided to major in partying at private school. I vividly remember saving you from the aftermath of one of those parties, if I'm not mistaken?"

Karen looked at her with doe eyes, and Olivia could see right through them to her core.

"I find it strange that the few times you have been here since she was born, of course either against your will or because you needed something from your father, you never wanted to hold her. Why is that?"

"Because she is not my sister." Karen repeated through gritted teeth. Olivia smiled.

"Nniñera Dorin! Please bring Isabella to me. Por favor." Sure enough within minutes, Dorin came wobbling into the bedroom with the infant in her arms, donning her beautiful, custom Christening gown sent to them from the British Royals.

"Gracias. Tell the photographer I will be down in ten minutes." Dorin obliged with a small nod, ignoring Karen's flustered state and hurrying out of the room to make sure Teddy was properly dressed. Once the door was shut, Olivia turned her attention back to Karen.

"Make sure to support her head and keep your hair away from her hands. She likes to grab." Karen shook her head.

"No. I'm not holding her!" Olivia held Isabella expectantly in front of Karen's crossed arms.

"She's not going to bite you. It's good practice for the cameras."

"I barely want to hold her for a publicity picture, let alone in my free time." Olivia brought Isabella back to her chest, smiling as the baby looked up at her happily.

"You don't want to fall in love with her. That's why you have refused to hold her all this time." She tore her eyes from Isabella to look back at Karen.

"You're afraid that once she's in your arms staring up at you, she'll capture your heart forever. You won't be able to hate her for being my child any longer because she'll be your sister."

"That's not true!" Karen argued, pressing her sweaty palms to her knees.

"Then prove it." Olivia challenged, offering Isabella to her once more.

Reluctantly, Karen slowly positioned her half-sister in her arms, trying not to meet her gaze. However as Isabella reached up to touch her chin, she became entranced by her eyes. The brown orbs locked with her light ones, as if the final two pieces of a puzzle were snapped together. For years, she had wanted to blame her parents' divorce and unhappy marriage on Olivia because deep down inside, she felt responsible for it. She hadn't been a good enough daughter, and her parents had fought over her day in and day out. It was easier to put the blame on someone else and make them the villain. It was harder to understand her family's hard past while she was shoved away at boarding school. Her dad's profession did not make things easier to understand either.

As she looked down at this baby, she felt a warmth spread from the tips of her toes to her cheeks. She could not deny her sister's beauty. Bella's curly, jet black hair went perfectly with her pure white headband. She did not know her mother's or Karen's pasts, but her deep chestnut eyes loved them. She knew nothing yet of the world's cruelty. She was as pure as the snow that fell on the day she was born, and a part of Karen wanted to shelter her from being tainted. She slowly pushed the hand away from her chin, and Isabella wrapped her tiny, delicate fingers around her pointer finger, as if to further win her affection. For the first time that morning, Karen smiled.

She hadn't even noticed Olivia had left the room.

"Consider it handled." Olivia said as she passed Fitz's office. He looked away from the sunny window and whirled the small dash of scotch left in his tumbler in a circular motion with a smirk.

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><p><strong>I always wondered what Fitz and Olivia's future would hold with his other children, so I had inspiration to bring Karen into the mix.<strong>

**Please do not forget to leave a review! It's what made me want to continue this story :) And if you wish, please check out my YouTube channel (AleccaOfficial) and Twitter (itsmebeccax).**

**Until next time…**


	3. The Loudest Silence

**Can't seem to stop writing this story! GAH I just am so happy to be back in the writing groove again. I should be studying for midterms…but I'm not. **

**Today I posted Day 2 of #GladiatorWeek on my YouTube channel! I show you how to make 3 different Scandal-themed DIY projects! They don't break the bank and they're pretty fun to make if I do say so myself. The first day I posted a Scandal Tag video as well! If you have not checked those out, make sure to visit my channel, AleccaOfficial. I'm doing a spoilers/predictions video tomorrow so tweet me at itsmebeccax your predictions and thoughts so I can put them in!**

**Without further ado, here is the next update! Enjoy my lovelies.**

**XOXO, Becca**

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><p>The hot summer sun beat down on the plentiful acres of the Vermont estate as Olivia relaxed in her innertube reading the latest <em>New Yorker<em>. After a long run with Fitz and struggling to get Isabella down for her nap, she was glad to finally have some time to herself. Her eyes fluttered over to the baby monitor on the edge of the pool for a few seconds before focusing back on the article she had been reading. With her luck, she would be hearing a shrill any minute now.

"As much as I enjoy gardening, your husband needs to hire a groundskeeper." Olivia smirked and looked up to see Cyrus coming out from the side of the house.

"He has one, we just like to watch you suffer."

"It looks like you're really suffering right now." He said. She laughed and ran a finger through the water beneath her.

"Oh I really am." He shook his head.

"I'm not being sarcastic." She looked up at him confusedly.

"Olivia Pope is not housewife material. You're itching to be back in the middle of all the D.C. madness. You're in withdrawal, just like I am." She sighed.

"I distract myself with my husband and Ella and gardening. You do the same. However, I still don't know if that will cure our addictions."

"This is the dream." She responded, looking around the property. Her face told a different story. Cyrus wiped a drop of sweat from his forehead.

"You know that you could easily be elected to an office, and you can't seem to get that idea out of your mind. I know what the cover story is on that _New Yorker_, don't even try to play dumb." She looked back down at the magazine in her lap, which was starting to bleed onto her skin from the heat.

"Mellie Grant, most powerful former first lady since Hillary Clinton." She reads with a smirk, tossing it to the concrete. She watched in amusement as it missed the pool's edge and sank to the bottom. Cyrus shook his head.

"You need to talk to him about this when he gets home from the convention. If you don't, the castle walls will come crumbling down." Cyrus picked up his clippers and began heading back towards the rose bush. Before leaving Olivia's range of vision, he turned back to her.

"Leave that at the bottom of the pool where it belongs." He said. Olivia shook her head and tried to conceal her smile. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and tried to push the conversation out of her head. Suddenly, a cry pierced through the humid air. Her eyes slowly and reluctantly opened.

"Ugh." She said in defeat, rolling off the tube and entering the water with a splash.

After rocking Isabella to sleep once again, Olivia was still on edge. Determined to release her pent up energy, she decided to return to the pool to swim laps. Plopping the baby monitor back at the water's edge, she strapped her goggles and cap on and dove swiftly into the pool. When she swam, her mind still raced, but no outside forces could put more thoughts into her head. It her time to think without the distractions of everyday life.

Did she really want a political career deep down inside? She loved being a mother and wife, but the thought of spending her whole summer isolated in Vermont made her feel restless. Sure, she and Fitz attended many events together. Recently, they started to leave Isabella with Nanny Dorin more frequently so they could enjoy time alone together and still be involved in political circles, but they were very adamant about not having their daughter raised by Nannys. Could she balance motherhood and working at Olivia Pope and Associates at the same time? Or would Isabella be left alienated like she had been?

She was broken out of her thoughts by hands pulling her out of the water. She was met with the eyes of her husband. She pulled her goggles off in confusion.

"Hi." He murmured.

"Hi?" She responded, looking down at his wet dress shirt.

"You couldn't wait to get changed?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I would have preferred to come in with no clothes on, but Cyrus is here." She hummed in approval and kissed him chastely on the lips. Her fingers intertwined in his curls as he deepened the kiss, and she felt his hands slowly snake their way down her bottom through the hole in the back of her white suit.

"I came here to garden and have some peace, not to watch porn!" Cyrus yelled from across the yard, tossing vines into a bin. Fitz rolled his eyes and returned to kissing his wife thoroughly, ignoring Cyrus' comment. She slowly pushed his boxers down with her toes, still as in love with him as she had ever been before.

"You two are shameless!" Cyrus yelled before storming into the house. Olivia laughed as she allowed her husband to push her into complete ecstasy.

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><p>"Nanny Dorin is coming at seven-thirty. You and I are going to have a nice night on the town together." Olivia announced, lying on their California king bed across from her husband. After swimming and showering, the two were lying in bed together in robes talking about their days. Of course, she did not have much to say compared to Fitz, further pushing the questions of the day to the front of her racing mind.<p>

"What's the occasion?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing in particular." She responded, moving closer to him. He gently wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his stomach.

"With you, there's always a motive." He said knowingly, locking eyes with her darting ones. She smiled nervously.

"I want to talk to you about something important. In a nice setting."

"So our home isn't a nice setting?"

"Not with a screaming baby it isn't." She murmured, smiling slightly. He sighed.

"Alright. I'll make a reservation at L'amante."

"Already done." She said, sitting up. She hopped off the bed energetically and made her way to the bathroom to do her hair and makeup before hearing Isabella scream through the baby monitor.

"Case and point." Fitz mumbled, rolling off the bed to go soothe his daughter.

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><p>By the time Olivia was ready, Fitz and Isabella were settled on the couch watching the Giants and Chargers game. Isabella donned her Chargers dress, a gift from the team's owner after Fitz flew down for one of the games.<p>

"She completely ruined the onesie she was in. You don't want to know."

"Mmm I probably don't." Olivia responded, sitting down next to the two and throwing her legs over Fitz's lap. Fitz handed Isabella to her mother and started rubbing Olivia's feet. She hummed in appreciation and began to pepper the baby's face with kisses.

"As much as I do like our nights out, I miss her terribly." She admitted, bringing the gentle baby to her chest.

"As do I." Fitz responded, turning his attention to Olivia's ensemble. She was wearing a simple white dress that was tight at the top, but flowed beautifully down to her knees. Her hair was in a tight, curled ponytail, revealing the temples that he loved to kiss.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured, running his hand up her leg. She shivered slightly from his touch.

"You're not too bad either." She quipped, smiling slightly. Isabella's sticky hands moved to play with the dainty silver chain she was wearing, a necklace Fitz had given to Olivia after her birth. Olivia gently pried the baby's eager fingers off of the chain and brought them to her lips to kiss. Isabella laughed in delight.

The moment was broken by the sound of the doorbell. Olivia knew it had to be Nanny Dorin. Cyrus had gone home for the night, not as eager to return to finish the gardening job after the scene in the pool. Something sank to the pit of her stomach as she rose to retrieve the Nanny, not knowing what the evening was going to hold.

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><p>Olivia pushed the salmon around in her plate as Fitz talked more about his day at the Club For Growth convention in Massachusetts. It had gone off without a hitch, and he had and splendid time talking with potential Presidential candidates and top donors who had helped him win elections. However, her discomfort was starting to become too noticeable for him to push aside.<p>

"Livie, what is it you wanted to tell me?" He asked softly, reaching for her hand across the table. She rose to meet his concerned gaze with a nervous smile.

"It was something Cyrus said today." She admitted, looking back down at her plate for a couple of moments to gather her thoughts.

"I love being Mrs. Grant. I love being your wife and Isabella's mother. But I'm still…Olivia Pope." She began cautiously.

"What's wrong?" He asked, squeezing her hand lightly. She shook her head.

"Nothing's wrong. I think that's the problem. Everything is perfect." She responded, smiling.

"I'm used to chaos and corruption and madness. Now that everything is quiet and peaceful, I find myself craving the life I used to have." Fitz's face made her heart further drop in the pit of her stomach. She could feel his hand becoming colder, and it seemed to threaten to burn her.

"I want to go home. Just for two days. I need to get it out of my system and decide what future I want for us." She murmured, tangling her fingers with his.

"You're never going to lose me. I don't want you to think that. But I have this constant itch to do more that needs to be scratched." Fitz nodded slowly, taking her words all in.

"You have my blessing. I'll stay home with Isabella. I'll have a copter take you down." Olivia could not believe he did not offer to come with her, and her face gave her thought away to him.

"You need to see it yourself. There will be less security detail and more freedom for you to soak it all in. Just promise you'll come back to us." She slowly stood and walked over to his seat. After he scooted out to make room for her, she collapsed into his lap and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

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><p><strong>What will Olivia decide when she visits her old firm and is reunited with old friends? Will she decide to run for mayor of Burlington, or will she set her sights higher? Next chapter she will make her decision :) I am the biggest fan of Vermontgate but what past President is going to run for mayor? And Olivia Pope is <strong>_**not **_**the jam-making housewife type. I definitely still see Fitz being involved in politics and Olivia as well.**

**Thank you all for the kind reviews! They keep me going. I was so surprised to see them pour into my email. You all are great. **


	4. Familiar Territory

**My lovely readers, **

**I first would like to thank you for the amount of reviews I have been getting on this story. I did not expect this story to get as popular as it did, which made me a little unprepared for the length and amount of reviews I got right off the bat.**

**I am not a perfect person. Hence, I accept criticism in many different areas of my life. However, there are a few things I think I need to be clear with before posting this next chapter.**

**Anyone who knows me knows that I am a feminist. A **_**huge **_**feminist. I absolutely hate how that word has somehow become "dirty" in our society. Yes, there are militant feminists who taint it, but women should not be afraid to stand up and call themselves one. This is why I absolutely love Olivia Pope. She is everything that I essentially want to be: brave, bold, intelligent, and strong. It's what originally attracted me to the show. Not Fitz (because I did not even start shipping it until three(ish) episodes in), not really anything else. **

**Shonda Rhimes is not afraid to risks in her work. Neither am I. The scene with Karen was a risk, and I do realize it was a strong scene, but I am a realistic writer. I struggle to write AU at times when I choose to do so because I always feel the characters for who they are. I didn't really see Karen being very supportive of Fitz and Olivia, and I wrote it how I would see it playing out. Now at the end, I did offer hope for the future, and I will definitely expand on that in future chapters. It's one of a few storylines that will continue to grow around Isabella. I don't really see Karen as a "bitch" necessarily, but rather a girl who grew up in a broken home, similarly to Olivia, and is still trying to figure herself out. And I also do not see Mellie as one either, because I think there's parts of me that I can identify with in those characters. Not them entirely, just parts. And in NO WAY do I condone their behavior because of their pasts, but rather explore it.**

**In addition, the message I was trying to send with Olivia returning to Washington was **_**not **_**that she has to pick between being a mother and working. I myself grew up with both parents working, and in this day and age, a woman should be able to break out of the domestic realm if she wants to. I wanted to send Liv to Washington because I honestly do not see her being just a mother in a fluffy Vermontgate world because she is such a strong feminist character. What I love about Fitz and Olivia is that he supports her being on equal footing with him, and she calls him out when he belittles her like so many men do today. So, in all, my intentions are for Olivia to go to D.C. after having Isabella and living the Vermont life to see how she wants to continue on. And Fitz, while nervous at first, is supporting her in this venture. This is where this chapter picks up.**

**I never write long author's messages, but I felt as though I really needed to write one at this point. I sometimes am going to make mistakes (like the AirForce One insertion that was accidently left in the final draft I finalized at 1 AM), especially as my own BETA. Reviews are not for just giving me a pat on the back, but for talking about what was presented. This is not me complaining, because I honestly have loved the amount of reviews I have been getting. I'm truly honored. I just did not want anyone to be offended or take my story in a direction I was not aiming for.**

**I hope this effectively cleared up some things, and please enjoy the next chapter! Thank you again so much for the support and love. I do really appreciate it. Can't say that enough.**

**With love, Becca**

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><p>The morning sun peeked over the mountains of Montpelier, Vermont and dimly lit the room of Isabella Rose Grant as her mother looked down at her in her crib. Olivia's pointer finger lightly traced the crevices of her head. She would miss the scent that always calmed her nerves, but it was best she leave her daughter sleeping and leave without her immediately noticing. She was not nervous to leave her with Fitz for two days. He was a loving father and had really dedicated himself to learning how to be one during her pregnancy. She tucked a stray curl behind the tiny baby's ear and smiled.<p>

"I love you my Bella." She murmured, her hand trailing down to lightly rub her arm. A huge part of her wanted to scoop her up and pepper her skin with kisses, but she knew that she had to leave. She felt warm arms wrap around her stomach.

"You're so beautiful with her." Fitz whispered hotly into her ear, kissing her lobe. She turned around to face him.

"The helicopter will be here any minute." He said. She nodded and grabbed his face.

"I know. I just needed a moment." He kissed her gently on the lips. She looked at him, her eyes glossy.

"Take care of our daughter." She said, smiling slightly. He nodded. She bunched the Navy tee he was wearing in her hands and sighed.

"Nothing in Washington could ever make me want to leave this life." She whispered, enveloping him in a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head and ran his hands lovingly down her back.

"Say hi to Gabby and the rest of the crew for me." He quipped. She laughed softly into his chest and looked back up at him. They locked eyes for a moment before the sound of the helicopter landing could be heard outside. Taking her hand, Fitz led her down the staircase and picked up her bags to bring out to the helicopter. They walked silently towards the helicopter, arms linked. The co-pilot opened the door for her, giving the ex-President a quick salute after doing so. He took the bags from Fitz and put them underneath the seats. Olivia took a step up onto the helicopter before turning back to face her husband.

"I love you. I'm sorry I used to never say it first." He smiled.

"I love you too." He responded simply. She stepped back onto the ground and ran into his arms for one last kiss. He ran his hands down the back of her simple white dress, memorizing her every curve and crevice. She wove her fingers into his curly hair, knowing she would miss doing it only if it was for two days. He kissed her lightly on the temple and pulled away.

"Kiss Bella for me?" She asked, tears in her eyes.

"Of course." With a small smile, she turned around to reboard the plane. She slowly made her into the cabin, breathing in the fresh air of the wilderness around her.

Olivia watched as the world she had always dreamed of faded away into a sea of green, taking her husband, daughter, and home with it. She unclasped her hands, her white knuckles returning to their original pigment. She did not know what her return to D.C. would bring, but she did know that no matter what happened, Vermont would always be there to welcome her home.

* * *

><p>Fitz decided to return to his daughter's nursery to sleep. He knew he would miss her more if he returned to the bed she had been lying in an hour ago. Her scent was his safety blanket, and without her he felt lost. But as he settled down on the couch across from his daughter's crib, he felt more comfortable than he ever had without Liv. A piece of her still remained, and he loved her all the same. He smirked as he imagined Liv coming in to take a picture of the fatherdaughter moment before drifting off into sleep.

* * *

><p>"Mrs. Grant, we are about to land in Washington." The pilot announced.<p>

"Thank you Bernard." She replied. Wrapping her cardigan tighter around her chest, she peered down at the scenery below her.

She had not been back to Washington for three years. After she and Fitz had gotten married, they moved straight to the house in Vermont. She left Abby in charge of Olivia Pope and Associates, but still remained the owner. In the beginning, they had filled her in on almost every case. After she became pregnant, the updates started slowing until she was received no news at all. She had not fought them on that, after all she had left the practice, but a part of her felt lonely. She missed her friends more than anything, and while they did visit, she missed being fully connected with them. Sometimes they felt distant, even when standing in the foyer of her own home.

Abby Whelan was now Abby Rosen. She and David had been trying for a baby for over a year, but were having serious problems getting pregnant. Liv always felt guilty that she and Fitz had conceived Isabella so quickly, and although her pregnancy was not roses and butterflies, she was so grateful for her daughter. Abby had been through too much, and she hoped that soon they would have their dreams come true.

Huck now had a close relationship with his son. He was still figuring his relationships out, as was Quinn. Olivia never knew quite what was going on with them, but she knew they would figure it out one day. Steven's firm was now partnered with OPA, as they needed help with overflow cases. Everything was running smoothly. But the main gladiator was missing, and it seemed as though no one could refill her spot.

As the helicopter engine turned off and the doors were opened, Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. A part of her regretted not bringing Fitz with her, but she knew she needed to do this on her own. Bernard helped her down onto the helipad while the co-pilot, Michael, gathered her belongings. She walked towards her silver Audi rental, rolling her eyes at Fitz's unnecessary extravagance. She felt for the keys underneath the car and clicked it on. Michael handed her purse to her with a smile while Bernard put her suitcase into the trunk.

"Enjoy your time in D.C. Ms. Pope. Excuse me, Grant." She smiled.

"I guess now that I'm here, I am Olivia Pope." She said, looking around. She bid Bernard and Michael farewell as she climbed into the front seat. She rested her hands on the wheel, focusing on her ring finger. She centered it before driving towards her old office, _Sunny _by Bobby Hebb flowing gently through the speakers.

* * *

><p>"Jack O'Donnell, Representative from New Hampshire's District 3. New money, father the owner of a successful consulting agency. Has a wife named Beatrice and two children named Sam and Sophie. Basically the most generic family you could ever lay your eyes on." Abby recapped, posting a picture of the troubled Congressman on the wall.<p>

"Which means there are some skeletons in the closet." Quinn deduced.

"Insider trading, frequent trips to the local whorehouse. The typical." Abby revealed, posting a picture of various prostitutes on the wall.

"Huck has hacked into his computers and found that he did in fact use grants-in-aid funds for his personal enjoyment. I knew he was lying the second he walked through the door." Quinn reported.

"So how do we calm this storm? I can change the records." Huck proposed.

"No. Get him on primetime admitting to it Nixon style. He has enough charisma to keep his district on his side. He will get slammed by the law, but he can win reelection. Which is what all Congressmen care about at the end of the day." All heads whipped around to find the source of the voice.

Olivia stood at the back of the conference room, a smirk on her face.

"How did you get in?" Huck asked, looking around at the various security systems he had put in place.

"I still have my keycard Huck." She said, holding up her keys and laughing. Everyone ran over to embrace her in a group hug.

"You guys are actually suffocating me." She cried giddily, pushing them off of her.

"Where are Fitz and Isabella?" Abby asked.

"At home in Vermont. I just needed a couple of days in Washington."

"Everything's okay, right?"

"Of course. I just wanted to come see you guys!" She exclaimed.

"Huck and Quinn have to go do a bit of background checking around the city, but I'm free for lunch!" Abby said, grabbing her light trench coat.

"That sounds amazing. We can all have dinner later!" Olivia said. As she turned to walk out the door, she was met with huge eyes staring at her in wonder.

"Are you…_the _Olivia Pope? Like the one whose name is on the wall?" The girl breathed, stunned beyond belief.

"Well Olivia Pope-Grant, yes. That would be me. And you are?"

"Maddie! Madeline Scott. It is beyond an honor to meet you." She said, shaking her hand. She read Olivia's confused expression.

"Oh I'm an intern here! I'm studying at George Washington." Olivia turned to Abby.

"We take interns now?" She asked, a small smirk on her face.

"She's a good errands-runner and dusts your office for you." Olivia laughed and turned back to face her.

"The picture of you and President Grant on your wedding day is so breathtaking. And your daughter is beautiful too. She won the 'Best Dressed Babies of 2020' category in People Magazine."

"Well, she is my daughter, after all." Olivia said, her eyes being drawn to her empty office.

"You know, you guys don't have to make my office a depressing memorial. Give Maddie a space to relax. She's earned it after working for you high-maintenance people." Olivia said, walking over to the door to her office and resting her hand on the cool glass. Memories of years in that office flooded into her head, only stopped by Abby's voice.

"Maddie, you have the afternoon off. Now scat." She said, waving her hand towards the door. Maddie quickly grabbed her purse and trotted out the door, squealing along the way.

"Don't terrorize the innocents on my behalf." Olivia quipped, smirking. Abby enveloped her in a side hug and the two walked out.

* * *

><p>"So how is that hunky former President of yours?" Abby asked, pouring Italian dressing onto her salad. Olivia stirred her vegetable ravioli.<p>

"He's good. He's been supporting a lot of old Republican friends, you know with Midterms coming up." She took a long sip of her wine before starting on her lunch.

"How's your crazy husband?" She asked, placing her napkin on her lap.

"He's David. Busy with work, but still has enough time to be the sarcastic man I know and love." Olivia shook her head.

"Enough small talk. Why are you really here Liv?" Abby asked. Olivia looked up at her with a sigh.

"I don't really have an answer to that. I love my life in Vermont. I really do. Fitz is so good to me, and I love Isabella more than anything. The simplicity of it is so refreshing after years of craziness in Washington. But there was something that Cyrus said when he was visiting us that stuck with me. It brought old feelings back that I think have been always lying under the surface. I'm so used to chaos that I actually crave it. I just don't know what to do with that feeling."

"You know you could always run OPA from Vermont. We just wanted to give you and Fitz the space you needed. Especially with the new baby and all." Olivia reached across the table and placed her hand on top of Abby's.

"Don't apologize. It was a good decision. And you'll have it too one day. I don't doubt that in the slightest." Abby pressed her lips in a suggestive thin line.

"It's actually funny you say that..." Abby started.

"No!" Olivia gasped.

"I don't know yet, but I got an artificial insemination treatment and haven't had my period since. I'm too nervous to tell David. You know, we've been trying for so long and have had so many false alarms-"

"Consider it handled." Olivia said, winking. Abby laughed.

"There's the Olivia I know and love." She squeezed her hand.

"The Pope never dropped off of my name when I became Mrs. Grant." She murmured.

"I would love to come back to OPA. I just love my life in Vermont. I've considered running for mayor or Congress, but I always have run the show from behind the scenes. I've never been completely in the spotlight handling my own career. Plus I'm a wife and mother now. I'd never want my commuting back and forth to Vermont to affect that. I'm here to sort of figure this all out."

"Well, your office is waiting for you."

"So is the pregnancy test back at my apartment." Olivia said, smirking.

"Why do you have one there?"

"I'm always prepared. I'm Olivia Pope."

* * *

><p>Olivia found the key on her chain that she had not used in three years and unlocked the brown door to her apartment. Over the years, she had rented it out to Abby and a couple of other people. She could not bring herself to sell it, and if she did end up commuting she could use it as her second home. Bending down underneath her counter, she felt around for the pregnancy tests she had stashed there years ago in case of an emergency. She felt one in the far back corner, and brought it out to look at the expiration date.<p>

"They're still good." She said. She looked up at Abby cautiously.

"Are you sure you want to do this with me and not David?" She asked.

"We've taken tons of pregnancy tests before. I want this to be with you." Olivia handed her the box.

"Okay go pee." Abby laughed and headed towards the bathroom.

Liv sighed and took a look around her apartment. For the most part, everything remained the same. She had left her furniture and most of her décor. With the exception of a few favorites, she had also left behind her wine glasses as well. She looked towards the couch and remembered the one minutes shared between her and Fitz. Her mind floated back in time to the time where she was in Abby's position.

* * *

><p><em>Olivia pressed her hands against the cool countertop as she awaited news that potentially would change her life. Outside of the bathroom, Fitz sat anxiously waiting on their master bed. She could not wait with him, she was far too nervous. Besides, it was only a matter of time before the bars would show up.<em>

_Three tests sat in front of her. They had decided that three would be a good sampling, even though Fitz had come home with twelve. Olivia had laughed at his over-attentiveness, especially after he said that they could just keep them for future babies. She felt like there was a brick floating to the pit of her stomach, and she felt more nauseous than she had in the past couple of days. She wanted a family so badly with Fitz, and they had decided it was time to try. She was surprised they hadn't accidently conceived before, as they weren't exactly careful, but they both wanted this more than anything._

_She did not know how she would leave the bathroom and face him either way. She didn't want to disappoint him, yet the feeling that she would be someone's mother made her nervous beyond belief. She knew Fitz could be a good father, but she doubted herself. She knew she would not turn out like her parents, but she wondered if this was a situation she could handle. _

_She was so lost in thought that she did not notice all three tests change. She looked down and read them. They all had the same picture displayed._

_Two bars._

_She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She could not gather her feelings and thoughts. She tenderly walked out of the bathroom and walked over to Fitz, who was sitting at the edge of their bed. He put his hands on her hips, awaiting the news. She tore her eyes from his chest and met his eyes. A small smile formed on her face. She felt tears starting to fall._

"_We're having a baby Fitz." She crackled. Fitz's face dropped._

"_Oh Livvie!" He exclaimed, swooping her up in his arms and twirling around like he had at the Westmont Hotel years earlier. He held her in his arms and looked at her, tears streaming down her face._

"_This dream is ours." He whispered, kissing a stray tear away on her cheek. She nodded and started to sob. He held her flush against his body and began to rub her back._

"_I'm just- so happy. I didn't know how this would feel." She said, trying to gather herself. He kissed the side of her head and rubbed her back lovingly._

"_And hormonal." He said, laughing. She felt his hands move lower down her back, igniting a fire in her stomach._

"_And also…hot for Daddy." She whispered, tugging at the bottom of Fitz's red flannel. He threw it over his head and kissed her neck deeply._

"_Let's celebrate, shall we? Maybe if we're lucky, we can make twins." He whispered hotly into her ear. She giggled as he flopped back onto the bed, taking her with him._

* * *

><p>"Liv?" Abby called, breaking her out of the memory.<p>

"Do you have results?" She asked, making her way towards the bathroom. She opened the door to find Abby with her hands covering her eyes.

"I heard them beep, so I know there's results. I'm just too scared to look at them. Can you look for me?" She asked. Olivia slowly made her way to the counter and peered at the results.

"Abby!" She exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

"What." She breathed, opening her fingers to allow her to see Liv.

"You're pregnant." She said, clapping her hands together happily. Abby threw her hands down and stared at the tests.

"It worked! Oh my god it worked!" She cheered, tears flowing down her face. Olivia wrapped her in a tight embrace, rubbing her back as she cried.

"You're going to be an amazing mother. I just know it." Liv murmured, hugging her tightly. Abby pulled away and took a tissue off of the counter to wipe her mascara.

"I'm going to have to pass on dinner. I have to go tell David."

"Go. We can all have dinner tomorrow. Good luck!" She walked Abby out of the door and shut it behind her.

* * *

><p>Fitz spent a wonderful day with Isabella. They had strolled through the local park together, of course with Secret Security detail, and eaten at Fitz's favorite local restaurant. He even had gotten her to try strawberry ice cream, which he got on video for Olivia.<p>

Now he was lying in bed watching CNN with Isabella fast asleep on his stomach. He did not have the heart to move her to her crib, and he liked her company nonetheless. However, he was starting to really miss his wife. He reached for his phone on the nightstand gently to not wake Isabella up from her slumber. He hit speed dial and waited anxiously for her to pick up.

"Hi." She murmured. He smiled.

"Hi." Five-hundred thirty-eight miles away, Olivia was in her robe watching _The Judge _in her old bedroom, a bowl of popcorn sitting in her lap and a glass of wine on her end table.

"How is D.C. running without the two of us?" He asked. She looked down at her lap and smiled.

"Pretty well. Although we were the best team."

"Still are." He murmured. She smiled.

"It's pretty weird to be back in my old bedroom." She said.

"What do you mean? I got you a hotel room! Did Bernard and Michael not tell you that?" She shook her head.

"No, they did. I just…wanted to go home." She knew he would not be happy about this.

"Olivia, that apartment has a lot of bad memories attached to it."

"I know." She replied. The treated, faded wine stain on the couch had torn her back to a place she didn't want to remember. Despite all that had happened, she needed to be home. She felt safe knowing Secret Service was outside of her door and across the hall. She ran her hands against the sheets of her bed.

"But I do remember some _amazing _things that happened in this bed. One in particular sticks out."

"Run out the clock?"

"Mmmm." She hummed, slowly untying her robe.

"I would love to partake in what you are suggesting, but our infant is currently lying on my stomach." Olivia laughed.

"How is she?" She asked.

"We had an amazing day. I forgot to send you the video of her trying strawberry ice cream. It's hilarious." Olivia smiled.

"Put her in her crib and I'll call you in ten? You need to properly tuck me in." Olivia murmured.

"I'll be waiting anxiously by the phone."

Olivia clicked off her phone and snuggled into her bed. Even though her real home was miles and miles today, he always made her feel at home.

* * *

><p><strong>Firstly, you may have noticed that this was an extremely long chapter. I spent HOURS writing it. I just couldn't stop. Most chapters won't be this long, but combined with the author's note and everything this was an exception. I threw in a few Vermontgate details from the premiere in. If you found them, you're awesome ;)<strong>

**I basically lost it during the Vermontgate sequence. Lost it is actually an understatement. If you want to check out my live reactions, I have them in my 4x10 review video on my YouTube channel. Simply go to my channel (AleccaOfficial) and they'll be there. They're quite entertaining as I was watching with my two friends who are Olake shippers :P Our fighting is pretty hilarious. The main bulk of the video is me reviewing the episode, and I'll be doing reviews every week, so make sure to check it out!**

**Also follow me on Twitter (itsmebeccax) to live tweet Season 4 with me and have some fun ;P I'd love hearing feedback there as well.**

**Next chapter will be Liv's last day in D.C., in which she will make her decision. Stay tuned! It will be up within the next two days. I also will be writing more family fluff chapters, so don't think it will be all drama. I just don't equate Olitz to being totally fluffy all the time :)**

**Let me know in your reviews also what you thought of 4x10! It was so crazy and SUCH a departure from the normal episodes. Even though it makes me sad that things won't ever be the same again, I loved it. Again, a Shonda risk that I liked.**

**-B**


	5. New Beginnings

**Sorry for the late update! I should be updating regularly this week. Last week was a really crazy one! Here's the final day of Liv's trip to D.C.!**

* * *

><p>4 AM. The city that never sleeps is wide awake. And it isn't New York City.<p>

Somewhere, a scandal is unraveling. Someone is bound to call Olivia Pope and Associates in the morning pleading for help. Even though the President is tucked safely into bed, the gears around her are constantly turning. New York City may be deemed the "city that never sleeps", but the streets of Washington are deceiving. No matter silent they may be, the gears of government are always turning.

Olivia loved this energy. As she walked down the streets she once called home, Secret Service tiredly in tow, her insomnia started to take a toll on her. In Vermont, time moved slowly and every minute was cherished. Here, she felt as though everyone was just fighting to get through another day.

She stopped in front of the Gettysburger storefront and peered through the display window. Nothing had changed. Orange chairs, brown tables, too-cramped of a waiting area. Her stomach begged for her favorite meal, but she continued on. In her jogging outfit and white headband, the few people on the street did not seem to recognize her. She felt the normalcy her life sometimes lacked, but would never trade what she had to get it back. It had been only a day away from them, but she missed her family. She longed to tangle her fingers in Fitz's matted curls and kiss Isabella's tiny nose. She had been away from them before, but in D.C. she felt as though she was planets away.

Suddenly, she looked up and found herself standing in front of a familiar building, The White House. Now President Elizabeth Warren's home, Fitz's successor.

Olivia wondered if the Founding Fathers had chosen white to represent purity. That was not what was down in the history books, but she thought about it nonetheless. No one would have ever suggested to paint it black, leave it colorless, or even red to match the color of the flag. It would not have mattered what the price differences were between the various colors. White made all of the government buildings look regal, powerful, and trustworthy.

She herself had worn the white hat for many years, but similarly to those the White House, had gotten caught up in all of the noise. She often had questioned if what she was doing was truly right, or if it was just to hold up the state of the union. While that is the goal of government, the means of maintaining it were not always fair and just. If the White House were to reflect its true colors, it would be different shades of white and black, she imagined.

But white gives people hope. White gains people's trust. That's what Olivia Pope did. Whether she was at the White House or running her own practice, she wore the white hat.

Olivia Grant was a bit of a different person. They say having a child changes you, but she even had felt herself change before that. Once she had fallen out of Washington's orbit, she found who she truly was. In the mountains of Vermont, all of the voices quieted and she could focus on one: her own. There was nothing to prove, no one to save. She was living for _herself_, for her husband and daughter. Although she was proud of her accomplishments and loved being a gladiator, she was finally taking care of herself.

She next found herself standing in the middle of a conference room she all knew too well. She had sat in these chairs, posted hundreds of pictures of clients on the walls. The girl who started this firm was bold, brilliant, and brave. She knew that she could make a real name for herself.

She did.

Olivia smiled weakly and made her way to her office. She could tell that it was not used much, probably only a room to store and interview clients in. Her desk remained mostly how she had left it. She picked up a photo of her and Fitz on the campaign trail and thumbed the small coat of dust off of it. She played with the gold chain dangling from her neck and smiled. Knowing the ending of the fairytale that young Olivia had clung to, she couldn't help but to grin softly from ear to ear. Placing it down next to the picture of her wedding day, she took a seat behind her desk and opened the drawer. She pushed through miscellaneous office supplies and old flash drives to find what she was looking for. Reaching to the back of the drawer blindly, her hand tapped against a tiny drawstring bag. She smiled and pulled it out. After a few shakes, the object fell out into her hand.

Her lucky charm.

Her eyes filled with tears as she held the object up to examine it. She closed her eyes and was taken back to a memory, one she had not thought of in a very long time.

"_I know you don't need any luck, but I want you to have this." Fitz murmured, reaching over to his medicine bag on the nightstand. They had worked tirelessly all day campaigning in Iowa, and were currently snuggled in bed at the Sheraton in Des Moines. _

_Fitz unfolded her hand gently and plopped a long necklace into it. Olivia looked down at it curiously. Holding it up with her other hand, she laughed._

"_Your dog tag? What am I going to do with this?" She asked, looking up at him with stars in her eyes. _

"_When I was in the Navy, I never knew if I was going to make it home. I kept a coin in my pocket that I had gotten from my grandfather. Silly, but it gave me comfort. Every soldier has that one item they cling to." He looked down at her lovingly._

"_Think of it as a piece of me that will always be with you. Maybe it will bring you good luck, maybe it won't, but I hope it will always remind you that I love you. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I love you." Olivia's eyes filled with tears. He took it out of her hand and unclasped it._

"_May I?" He asked, smiling. She nodded and sat up for him. She pushed aside her damp curls, wet from the shower they had just taken together, and felt him place a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck. With a small click, the dog tag fell to rest in the valley in between her breasts. She looked down at it and ran her fingers against its smooth sides. He wrapped his arms lovingly around her stomach and she immediately melted into him._

"_I love you." She murmured, craning her neck to meet his haunting blue eyes._

"_I love you too."_

Over the years, she had always kept it in her desk. Sometimes she had taken it out to hold, other times she had placed it in her pocket to help her face a hard day. However, she had never worn it in fear that someone would notice it.

None of that mattered now. The secret was out, Vermont was a reality. She was free. She clicked the clasp shut and watched the sun rise outside of her office, knowing exactly what she wanted to do.

* * *

><p>"Thank you guys for agreeing to meet for lunch instead of dinner." Olivia said gratefully, looking at her friends. It was strange to have the group all together in D.C. again, even stranger to be together without strategizing or plotting.<p>

"It's fine. It seems no matter how much time you spend with them, you'll always miss your kids." Huck said, smiling slightly. Olivia could not believe the transformation that Huck had went through. Although she knew he still had dark days, they were far easier with Javi by his side. Her tear-soaked dream she had the previous night of an unescapable prison cell was not a new development. All she needed was Fitz's embrace or Isabella's scent to calm her. Pushing the night out of her head, she turned to Abby and raised an eyebrow. Abby blushed and grinned.

"What's up between you two?" Quinn asked, obviously holding back all of the sarcastic remarks she had ready to throw. Abby took a deep breath.

"Liv helped me take a certain test yesterday. David and I are finally having a baby!" She announced, clapping her hands together. Quinn and Huck's eyes widened.

"That's amazing, but don't think we'll be any less hard on you." Quinn quipped, hugging her. Olivia held up her glass.

"To David and Abby, and to new beginnings." She cheered. The friends clung their glasses together joyfully.

Olivia smiled to herself, knowing that this was only the start of something special.

* * *

><p>The helicopter had barely touched down before Olivia was leaping out of it. Maybe it was the wine she had on the way home or the decision she was excited to share, but everything was thrown to the side when she caught a glimpse of her husband in her favorite red flannel. She jumped out of the plane and ran giddily into her husband's arms. Expecting a welcoming kiss, she screamed as she was tossed over his shoulder, legs kicking up in the air.<p>

"I've got this piece of cargo Bernard. Mind putting the rest by the back door?" He asked, smiling.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third, I demand you put me down this instant!" Olivia yelled, trying not to laugh.

"Nope." He said simply, walking back towards the house. She roared with laughter as she swung back and forth. Walking through the sliding-glass door, he placed her down on the floor gently. Lightheaded and out of breath, Olivia sighed.

"Hi." She breathed.

"Hi." He responded simply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him, only to be spun around.

"Should I torture Mommy more?" Fitz asked, tickling Olivia in the stomach. She once again burst into laughter, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. Isabella joined her mother, slamming her tiny hands against the tray of her high chair. Olivia managed to pry Fitz's hands away from her as she focused on the mess around surrounding her daughter.

"Fitz! What did you give her?" Olivia gasped, walking towards the gleeful Isabella. He laughed.

"You favorite boysenberry jam. Who doesn't like that?" Olivia laughed gently as she examined the mess.

"It's in her hair." She noted as she tried pulling it out of the baby's matted curls while laughing. Isabella remained oblivious to her mess, slamming her hands down on her table. Olivia picked her up out of the chair and started blowing raspberries onto her smooth skin, causing the baby to erupt into laughter once more.

"Did you miss Mommy? Because I missed you." Olivia murmured, holding her daughter close. Olivia Pope would have cringed at jam mushing against her Zac Posen sundress.

Olivia Grant could not have cared any less.

"Although she might have missed her mother, she and her Daddy had fun." Fitz reported, walking towards them. Olivia shook her head and looked back at her husband.

"I hope you at least changed her out of her onesies when you went out? She was declared one of the most fashionable babies in the public eye. An intern at OPA reminded me of that."

"Why of course. The Grants are _always _in style." Olivia raised an eyebrow in slight suspicion and turned her attention back to Isabella.

"Mommy is going to get you all cleaned up before storytime and bed." The two headed up the stairs and Fitz sighed loudly, cursing himself for being such a tease while he had the opportunity.

* * *

><p>"I have dinner ready downstairs." Fitz murmured, walking into Isabella's nursery. Olivia put a finger to her mouth to quiet him, nodding down at the sleepy baby. Fitz smiled and walked towards them.<p>

He took a seat in the rocking chair and motioned for Olivia to sit on his lap. She walked slowly from the window and settled down with him, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. Isabella squirmed a little, her eyes fluttering for a few moments before staying closed. She was swaddled comfortably in a silk gray blanket wearing her white fuzzy onesie. Fitz and Olivia loved putting her to sleep more than anything. Even if it was three in the morning, they loved watching her. She knew nothing yet of the world's madness, only love. It was something that never ceased to amaze them.

"I want my daughter to grow up in a world where she is considered an equal." Olivia murmured, keeping her eyes locked on her. Fitz kissed the top of her head in agreement.

"I never want her to be judged by the color of her skin or by her gender." She looked up at her husband and smiled weakly.

"I want to wear the white hat, Fitz. I want to do something. I don't want to cover up scandals to hold up the Republic. I want to make a real change." She took a deep breath.

"I want to start a foundation. With you. A non-profit. I don't need to be in Washington; the headquarters can be right here in Montpelier. I just need you." She cupped his face with her stray hand.

"You've been nothing but supportive and I want to thank you for that. You are the most amazing husband and father." Fitz smiled.

"You never cease to amaze me." He closed the space in-between them and kissed her chastely.

"Everyone at OPA wants to be in on it. I talked to them about it over lunch. Even regarding the Republican base, it will-"

"Livvie, it's an amazing idea. You don't have to give me a marketing pitch. I was in from the moment you said 'with you'." He whispered, thumbing her cheek gently. She smiled and looked up at him with a glow in her eyes. He felt his heart thump against his chest. No one had ever looked up like him like she did. Their connection never ceased to amaze him.

"I'm so happy to be home." She murmured, snuggling back into Fitz's body. Her body fit into his like a puzzle piece, and Isabella perfectly in their laps. She closed her eyes and found herself slowly drifting off into sleep in complete harmony.

* * *

><p>Dinner had been forgotten about. When she woke up, the clock read 2 AM. Sitting up in bed, she looked around to calm herself. She was in Vermont, she was safe. She turned and look down at Fitz, who was stirring. She felt an arm snake around her back and she was pulled flush next to him. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent: old spice and finely aged scotch.<p>

"I love you." She breathed. He smiled slightly.

"I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you guys all for the support. I know I say this every chapter, but the support I've been getting from the Scandal fandom has been amazing! I am going to put my different accounts below so we can get connected!<strong>

**I know some of you liked the masterpost! I now have a whole section for them on my Tumblr, so let me know if you'd like me to make more for future chapters!**

**Next chapter will be fluffy, but we are going to bring in Karen and Teddy as the story is revolving around the effect of Isabella's birth. All good things to come though – so look forward to that!**

**How about last week's episode? Check out my YouTube reviews for my reactions and thoughts :P**

**XXX, B**

**YouTube: AleccaOfficial**

**Twitter: itsmebeccax**

**Tumblr: victrolannights**


	6. Polar Bears and Prada

**After a bit of angst and a little D.C. storyline, here is a chapter of mostly pure fluff (and a little bit of sexy time *smirks*). All of the places/outfits mentioned in this story are real! If you would like to see the masterpost on Tumblr before reading this chapter, I highly recommend it. Go to my Tumblr (victrolannights) and go to the sidebar on the left. There is a masterposts tab and you will find it there. Enjoy!**

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><p>"All ready to go!" Olivia announced as she walked down the long hallway and into the kitchen. Isabella smiled at the sight of her father standing by the counter with the bags they would need for their day trip. Fitz smirked.<p>

"Livvie." He said knowingly.

"What?" She exclaimed, visibly confused. He laughed.

"We're going to the Montreal Zoo, not New York Fashion Week." Olivia looked down at her Theia colorblock dress.

"It's not that fancy! It's just a fitted dress!" Fitz laughed.

"You're going to look at polar bears in Prada heels?" He asked. She sighed in defeat and handed Isabella to him.

"Get her in the car while I go change." She mumbled, turning on her heel and walking briskly towards their room. Fitz looked down at Isabella as she looked up at him expectantly.

"Your mother has admitted defeat. This is rare." He murmured with a smile.

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><p>Since moving to Vermont, Fitz and Olivia often liked to venture into Montreal. It was only two hours away and a city that did not recognize them. Sure they were stopped or stared at on occasion, but they found they had a lot more freedom when they crossed the border into Canada. The Secret Service men always trailed behind them, but it did not create an unusual scene as they were always dressed normally as to effectively blend into the backdrop.<p>

Olivia ran her hands against her Free People jeans as she propped her feet up on the dashboard. After a battle, she had agreed two years ago to get an Audi Q7 after her Ford Explorer began to die. It was a good car to have a baby in, considering she would never be caught dead driving a Mommy van. She looked up at the baby mirror to check on Isabella, who had fallen back asleep since leaving their house in Montpelier. Fitz turned the Album Leaf song down and turned to Olivia.

"How is the non-profit planning going?" He glanced over at her tablet, which was filled with notes.

"Pretty good. I have outlined most everything, but I'm still struggling with a name." She admitted, tapping her Microsoft Surface stylus against her lip. Fitz tore his gaze away from her, as anything near her lips always drove him completely crazy. He turned his attention back to the road, focusing on the white lines disappearing behind them. Oblivious to her husband's struggle, Olivia continued reviewing her notes.

"I thought you liked Politicians of Tomorrow." He said. She shook her head.

"POT? No one will take us seriously." Fitz snorted. Olivia rolled her eyes and sighed.

"The name is the most important part. It's the brand."

"Pitch it to me how you have it outlined. Without the name." Fitz requested. Olivia scrolled up to the top of her document.

"Our organization gathers children from all backgrounds and prepares them to be the political advocates for tomorrow. The United States of America has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the Democratic world and most citizens are apathetic when comes to government participation. Our mission is to strengthen government education in all of our nation's schools, run after-school programs for students interested in politics and advocacy, and overall change the future of the voter apathy epidemic." Fitz smiled as he watched Olivia melt into her public speaking fever.

"By getting the next generation involved in political conversation, our government can be what our Founding Fathers intended it to be: for the people and by the people." She looked up at him expectantly to find a smug smile on his face.

"It's good." He said simply, turning back to the road. She cocked her head.

"'It's good.' That's all you're going to say?" She asked, slightly agitated at his response.

"It's brilliant." He corrected, giving her leg a squeeze while focusing on changing lanes. She sighed.

"It isn't without a name." She murmured, sliding back into her seat in slight defeat. She rested her hand on top of his and played with his wedding band.

"Leaders of Tomorrow. You said in your pitch that our mission is to change the voter apathy epidemic. Not all of these kids will become politicians. They'll become interest group leaders, bureaucrats, the possibilities are endless. They all might dream of one day being president, but our programs will show them that there's a job in government for everyone. Plus the acronym is a bit more appropriate." Olivia turned to him in slight shock.

"I was once President of the United States." He said with a smirk. She smiled and looked back down at her tablet.

"It's perfect." She said as she wrote it down at the top of the document. She squeezed his hand and went back to planning.

"Miss Isabella, what are you doing?" Fitz asked jokingly. Olivia looked up at the rear mirror to see her seven-month daughter putting her foot in her mouth. She laughed.

"I didn't even know she was awake." Olivia said, turning around to check on her.

"She usually lets us know it." Fitz joked. Olivia sighed and played with her hand.

"That's because she's one spoiled baby."

"Could we have done it any other way?" Fitz asked. Olivia smiled and shook her head.

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><p>Granby Zoo was unsurprisingly crowded on this mild-July day. Masses of children happily skipped and ran down the pathways, parents running after them. Both Olivia and Fitz were thankful that Isabella could not walk or leave her stroller yet. They could only imagine how different their day would have been with her as the leader.<p>

They were currently situated in front of the polar bears, where Olivia was snapping endless photos of Isabella and Fitz watching the bears swim from behind the glass. Isabella was completely enamored with the white animals. Over the past month, Olivia had noticed a lot of changes with her daughter. Despite not being able to crawl quite yet, she was sitting up on her own and becoming a lot more playful. The Vermont house was prepared for her eventual progression into being mobile, but she seemed content sitting with one of her parents or Nanny Dorin. For now, that was.

Watching Isabella grow up is a different experience for Olivia than it is for Fitz. Because she was her first child and was an only child, the whole thing fascinated her. Of course her husband _adored _their child, and was probably more involved with parenting than he ever had been, but Olivia could not believe all of the little things: how smart she was, how much she looked like the both of them, how amazing Fitz was with her. She never imagined how magical being a mother could be.

Olivia was broken out of her thoughts as she heard Isabella squeal. She turned to the tank and saw one of the polar bears right in front of them. Fitz took a step forward and allowed Isabella's outstretched hand to touch the glass separating her from her new best friend. The grin on both her and Fitz's faces made Olivia's heart feel as though it was going to burst out of her chest. Lifting her phone, she snapped one final shot. It would be sent and posted later, but right now she was cherishing the moment with her family. Snaking an arm around Fitz's back, she leaned in and kissed her daughter on the cheek. The polar bear swam away with ferocity, causing Isabella's tiny eyes to widen. Olivia and Fitz both watched on as a look of enchantment spread across her face.

"I'm glad I didn't combine Prada and polar bears." Olivia murmured. Fitz laughed and leaned down to kiss her.

Families behind them looked at the couple in wonder. Some of them recognized them, others didn't. In the end, it did not even matter.

Their love demanded to be felt.

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><p>By the time they were back in Montpelier, dusk had already set in. Quietly getting out of the Audi, Olivia and Fitz strategically removed a sleeping Isabella from her carrier. After leaving the zoo, they had eaten a wonderful dinner at Ferreira Café, one of Olivia's favorite restaurants in Montreal. Isabella had begun to get cranky towards the end of their dinner, so they were relieved when she fell asleep rather quickly during the car ride home. Liv had sat in the back and rocked her carrier until she thought her arm was going to fall off. A part of her was tempted to lie her head down on the carrier and sleep as well, but she wanted to get the final notes written so that she could send her final arrangements to Cyrus, who promised to review them.<p>

Fitz and Olivia padded lightly into Isabella's nursery. Gently placing her in her bed, Fitz tucked her in with her silk blanket. Olivia rubbed her back soothingly before taking her husband's hand and leading him out of the nursery. She yelped quietly as she felt her back smash against the wall.

"Don't you _ever _touch your beautiful lips to tease me, Mrs. Grant." She felt her arms being pinned over her head. She looked up to him with a glow in her eyes. _Mrs. _Grant. It was enough to make her go weak in the knees. She bit her lip tantalizingly and let it fall from her teeth slowly. She felt pressure growing between her hips and saw a fire glow in his eyes. Before she knew it, she was being picked up and carried to the living room. With a gentle smash, the piano keys rung in a clashing boom as she felt her shirt being torn open. Buttons flew in a million directions, but neither of them seemed to care. Lips found her neck as jeans tried to find their way to the floor. He moaned in disapproval as he fought to get the skinny jeans off of her.

"Should've let me wear the dress, _Mr. President_." She whispered hotly in his ear before kissing the lobe. Fitz kneaded his hands into her bottom and pushed the jeans off roughly. Her shirt still half-open, he began a trail down to her core. She braced herself for what was to come. Her knuckles white with anticipation, she muffled her scream with her hand as his tongue entered her.

"Fitz." She breathed, slamming her hand back to its previous position. Fitz crawled up her body, planting a kiss in every place he could until he got to her face. She wove her hands through his curls and brought him close to her face. He smiled into her mouth.

"What?" She asked in amusement.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured. She smiled and brought her finger to her lip.

"Oh won't you show me?"

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><p><strong>Are you breathing okay? Just wanted to make sure ;) This chapter is shorter than most of my chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. Montreal is actually one of my most favorite cities, so I was excited to find that Montpelier was right nearby it. If you noticed my little Vermontgate hints, well done.<strong>

**If you have any moments you'd like to see, leave them in the reviews! I'm just kind of getting these ideas randomly, but I do have storylines I do want to cover in the future. Thank you for all of the support!**

**Don't forget to check out my social media links! I love connecting with all of you!**

**XXX, Becca**

**Twitter: itsmebeccax**

**Tumblr: victrolannights**

**YouTube: aleccaofficial**


	7. First Steps

**This chapter was going to be a tad less fluffy, but given what happened last week and the fact that there's no Scandal this week, I decided to make this chapter a bit more fun. It is inspired by the movie, **_**Life Unexpected**_**, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. If you haven't seen it, put it on your list.**

**But first, enjoy ;)**

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><p>"Olivia!" Fitz called, yelling down the long hallway. Freezing in place, he watched as Isabella waddled back and forth, looking to make her first step. She had been standing up for quite some time, but she looked as though she was finally going to venture into unknown territory.<p>

_Where is she? _He wondered, eyes darting from his daughter to the hallway. If he moved to grab his Android, he was afraid he'd scare her. Isabella looked up at him expectantly.

"Wait for Mommy Bella." He coaxed as he raised his hands out in front of him. But her mother's defiance pushed her to take a successful first step before she felt her father's hands gently bump against her to pause her action. The sudden shift in balance caused her to fall with a loud thump onto the hardwood floor, just as her mother made it down the hallway. Looking up at her father, she began to wail.

"What did you do?" Olivia boomed, surveying the scene. A puddle of water formed at her feet from her half-shampooed hair as she angrily eyed her husband. Fitz stood frozen in space, his hands still out in front of him. Isabella continued to cry.

"She was going to walk and I didn't want you to miss it." Fitz explained. Olivia threw her hands down and scooped the distraught baby up into her arms.

"You're going to stunt her growth Fitz. You don't push down a child who is about to take their first steps." Olivia yelled, rubbing Isabella's back as she sobbed into her robe.

"I didn't mean to! I was just holding my hands out trying to tell her to wait and-"

"Now she's never going to walk!" Olivia exclaimed. Fitz furrowed his brows.

"Oh don't be so dramatic Olivia." She shot him a look and stormed back down the hallway, taking Isabella with her.

"We have a final meeting with the event coordinators in an hour, so get out of your pajamas and into the shower." She ordered before disappearing into their master bedroom.

He sighed and decided to give her space. It did not help that they had already had a fight that morning. He knew that Olivia was stressed about the upcoming Leaders of Tomorrow Ball, as it was their first real entrance into public as an official couple. They had gone to tons of events together, but had generally held a low profile over their years of marriage. This was their return into the political arena, and they both knew it wouldn't be easy. With Mellie now thinking about running for governor in California and Leaders of Tomorrow starting up, the news cameras would be turned back towards them.

Fitz cleaned up the remains of breakfast and then padded into the master bathroom, where Isabella lied in her bouncer giggling happily as she hit the objects above her. He bent down and kissed her chubby cheeks. He apologized profusely as he continued to pepper her with kisses. The previous mishap seemed to be forgotten as the tiny baby kicked her legs in glee. He stood up and pulled his Yale shirt over his head to join his wife in the shower.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, wrapping his arms around Olivia, who was staring at the wall under the showerhead in deep thought. She melted into him, placing her hands on his above her belly button. They stood for a few moments in silence, the only audible sounds being the tap of water on the tiles and Isabella hitting her toys.

"I'm scared." She admitted in a barely audible whisper. He kissed the crook of her neck.

"Don't be. We're in this together." She craned her neck to look up at him for a few moments before smirking.

"You accidently pushed our 9-month child down because you didn't want me to miss her take her first steps?" She joked. He laughed.

"We're going to both miss milestones. We can't be there for everything. It's just a reality." She said with a sigh.

"Doesn't make us bad parents." He responded. She kissed him lightly and turned back to finish washing the conditioner out of her hair. He yanked her back into him, pressing her to his skin.

"Fitz…"

"We have an hour."

"Isabella is right outside the shower!"

"She won't see anything." Olivia gasped as she felt pressure grow between her hips. She could feel him smirking into her neck. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she let him relieve her stress.

"Make it quick."

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><p>"So far we have 1,200 guests on the list, including all guest speakers. Hillary has faxed me her speech and it looks impeccable, if I do say so myself." Olivia walked around the grounds of the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington with her event planner, Rosalie McDermott, as she rattled off details to her. She was the wife of one of Olivia's best guy friends at Princeton. Whenever it came to event planning, Rose was eager to help her. She had planned some of the most successful events during Fitz's campaign, and was one of the few professional friends Olivia knew did not let any judgment get in the way of her professionalism. She had lost some contacts when her relationship with Fitz was revealed, but Rosalie had never left her list. "Anyone who doesn't see that you were made for each other is a fool." She had told her.<p>

"Has Rand Paul committed to speak as well? It's important we show bipartisanship." Cyrus asked, putting his phone to his chest.

"Yes. He signed on two days ago. The Republicans are eager to appeal to youth."

"As they should be." Cyrus quipped before returning to his phone call. Olivia smirked.

"Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Brad and Angelina, heck even William and Kate will be at this thing. It's all the buzz." Rosalie said excitedly, opening the door to the ballroom. Everything was already set up for the event. The white and black theme no doubt was Olivia's idea. Servers worked in a flurry to place the thousands of name cards on the tables according to the seating chart that had been slaved over. All of Fitz and Olivia's hard work was finally starting to show. She turned to talk to Fitz, but found him missing. Furrowing her brow, she turned back around to find him in the middle of the dance floor. Isabella was standing in front of him as he crouched down and held her arms up. He began to hum _Daughters _by John Mayer as he guided her to dance with him. Isabella smiled widely as he dipped and moved her in time to the music. He scooped her up into his arms, causing her to squeal. He held her close as he continued to hum and move to the music. Olivia watched on lovingly, Rosalie and Cyrus' chatter blurring into the background.

"Liv?" Rosalie asked, breaking her out of her gaze. As Olivia turned towards her, she caught her first glimpse of the father-daughter interaction.

"Well aren't they darling? I'd give anything to have Charlotte that tiny again. Five year-olds aren't as easy-going." Olivia smiled and turned her attention back to her clipboard.

"We still need to confirm if Karen is coming, speaking of Fitz's offspring." Cyrus added. Liv sighed and flipped to the guest list, where her name still remained unchecked. "It would be in the best interest of both her and her m-"

"Mellie and Jim have already RSVP'ed yes. I'm not going to push Karen. She's an adult and can make her own decisions." Olivia reported. She handed her clipboard to Cyrus and made her way towards Fitz and Isabella. Fitz eagerly pulled her into them, guiding her hips into a swaying motion. She kissed the top of Isabella's head, who was nestled in between them.

"It's going to be a great event Livvie." He said, looking into her eyes. She smiled.

"Did you hear that Brad and Angelina are coming?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Fitz laughed.

"You're kidding." She shook her head and laughed.

"Rose just told me. Can you imagine Cyrus talking to Brad Pitt?"

"I can't imagine you talking to Brad Pitt." He murmured against her ear.

"Jealous much?"

"Well I've heard that Olivia Pope has a thing for older men, so I guess I'm safe." She slapped his shoulder playfully as they continued to dance to non-existent music. Isabella's eyes began to close as the rhythm of her parents' joined bodies lulled her to sleep. They both watched on lovingly as she fell to sleep against her father's chest, oblivious to the fact that Rosalie, Cyrus, and the servers had left the room long ago. Details had to be finalized, but that could be done later. All that mattered was the tiny heartbeat that vibrated against their bodies.

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><p>Fitz sat on the floor as Olivia and Nanny Dorin prepared a late lunch. Olivia had never been much of a cook, and neither had Fitz, but they were slowly learning from their Spanish nanny. Olivia had grown to love cooking. It was a good outlet to put stress towards, and her Vermont kitchen could not be any more perfect than it was. She loved making breakfast while looking out over the snow-covered hills to the mountains in the distance. It made her dream even more surreal than it already was.<p>

"Just move this foot," Fitz began, tapping Isabella's left foot, "and then this one." Isabella's face wrinkled in disapproval and she decided to return to her seated position. Fitz sighed. Olivia smirked.

"If you think you can redeem yourself, you can't." She said en route to the dining room, patting him on the back playfully.

"But I can win the first word game, can't I?" Fitz said excitedly. "Can you say DaDa?" Isabella shook her head and crawled over to her playmat. Olivia smiled in approval as she came back to get their plates.

"We'll see who wins that one, Mr. President." Fitz rolled his eyes in defeat and rose to his feet. Olivia picked up Isabella and placed her in her highchair. Suddenly, her phone began to ring.

"Can you feed her why I take this?" Olivia asked. Fitz nodded and took the applesauce out of her hands. She slid the glass door open and stepped outside.

"Abby." Olivia greeted cheerfully.

"We have a situation." Abby informed. Olivia's face dropped.

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><p><strong>You probably hate me right now, because I just Shonda'ed by leaving you with a cliffhanger. I actually have most of the next chapter written because it used to be a part of this chapter, but I didn't want to bring down the mood :P What do you think the situation is? Let me know in the reviews section. Curious to see if anyone gets it. I did hint at it in the chapter.<strong>

**In case you didn't already know, it came out today that 4x17 is called "Put A Ring On It". While it's probably Cyrus' wedding, does this have a double meaning? I'm going to be putting a predictions/midseason review up on my YouTube channel tomorrow, so stay tuned.**

**Make sure to check me out on my other social media sites as well! Thanks for reading ;)**

**XXX, Becca**

**Twitter – itsmebeccax**

**Tumblr – victrolannights**

**YouTube – AleccaOfficial**


	8. Hyannis Port

**Finally, an update. I'm going to skip babbling about my excuses and just give it to you. Enjoy!**

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><p>"What kind of situation? Like an OPA situation or a LOT situation?" Abby sighed.<p>

"Try both and add on a personal hashtag. If you're with Fitz, get out of the room."

"Why?"

"He can't know about this. Just trust me." Olivia took a deep breath and glanced at her family through the glass door.

"He's inside feeding Bella. Hit me with it."

"I have one of Karen's friends standing in front of me. She hasn't seen her in three days. None of her friends at Wellesley have. The school won't notify you unless there's reasonable evidence she's missing, as you and I both know college kids cut class all of the time, but her friend Annabelle feels strongly that she's in trouble." Olivia closed her eyes and pressed her lips into a thin line.

"Does Mellie know?" She asked.

"No. Annabelle came to you for a reason. Plus she's in California, what is she going to do?"

"I'm assuming you're already handling this?" She murmured, looking out over the mountains.

"Huck's currently tracking her phone down. Quinn is checking her bank accounts. Looks like she used her debit card in Boston, so our next step is to get some surveillance footage to see if she was with anyone."

"Keep Annabelle there. Her father is Senator Bruceman, so she's probably staying with him right now. I will be down today."

"Liv you're not going to help by coming down. Stay put. You have a lot on your plate with the Leaders of Tomorrow Ball and you might have to go get her up there. Consider this handled." Olivia took a seat in a rocking chair.

"I have to tell Fitz." She murmured.

"You can't Liv! He will tell Mellie and they will make this national news!" Abby exclaimed.

"It's his daughter, Abby. He and Mellie both have the right to know."

"But you know what will happen if you do." Olivia rubbed her temples. "Take this like one of your cases. Never mix business and pleasure. You always said that."

"What if your future son or daughter was missing? I don't think you'd want me to handle that behind your back."

"Olivia-" A heavy silence fell between them.

"He was just in the Sheraton ballroom dancing with Isabella. He has never been so happy in his entire life. But years ago that used to be Karen that he sung to and danced with." She leaned back into the chair.

"I promised him that I wouldn't do this anymore. _We_ promised. No more lies and secrets. I know I'd be protecting him by keeping him blind to the situation but in the end it will hurt him more. I've seen that happen far too many times."

"I understand." Abby murmured. Olivia exhaled deeply.

"I will handle it from my end. Just keep me updated." She could hear Huck talking in the background.

"Update: we have her location."

"Where?"

"Easton, Massachusetts." Olivia sighed of relief.

"She's headed towards the Martha's Vineyard home. She's probably just vacationing with some friends to escape the stress of college."

"I don't think this is a temporary escape Liv." She felt her stomach drop. "The surveillance tape shows her alone in a CVS pharmacy. She used her debit card to purchase pills."

"How much time do we have until she reaches the house?" Olivia responded briskly.

"About two hours." Huck reported.

"We can get the Massachusetts cops pull her over for speeding. Teenagers always speed. She'll have no idea that there's another motive behind it. There won't be a news storm either. Have her detained until I can get to her. The drive will take me three hours."

"Quinn is on it." Abby reported. Olivia sighed of slight relief.

"I have to go."

"We'll call with updates." Olivia clicked the phone off just as Fitz walked out onto the patio.

"Is everything okay? You look distraught." He asked, taking her hand and pulling her close. She looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"Do you trust me?" She asked.

"Olivia, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Something's happened with Karen." She admitted. She felt his body tense up within seconds.

"What kind of trouble is it now?" He asked bitterly. She shook her head and ran her arms up his sides.

"She didn't create trouble. She's in trouble. I need you to stay here with the baby and hold up the fort. I will be back with her before bed."

"I need to come with you. She's my daughter. You don't need to handle this." Olivia shook her head.

"You coming will make her situation worse. There's already enough media surveillance on her, we can't have you walking into a police station to pick her up."

"A police station?" Fitz exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air.

"I did what I had to do." She cupped his face in her hands. "My past with Karen is irrelevant right now. She's your daughter so I love her. Unconditionally. Please trust me." Fitz pressed his forehead against hers.

"Bring her home safely." He murmured. She looked up at him and squeezed his wrists.

"Consider it handled."

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><p>A cold-front whipped against Olivia's bare skin as she made her way into the police station. A New England summer storm was on its way, but it was nothing compared to the potential storm brewing behind the bolted doors she flung open. All eyes turned as her white heels clicked across the grimy tile and made their way to the front desk. She offered the desk attendant a weak smile.<p>

"I'd like for Sargent Williams to take me to my step-daughter, please." She requested.

"Of course." She replied quickly as she rose to open the door. This was obviously not a normal day in the Easton Police Department; she could tell by the tension and nervousness in the air. Olivia walked through the heavy gray door, pausing at the security check to remove her jewelry and purse from her shoulders. Calmly and collectively, she put her items back on and walked over to the policeman who had pulled over Karen.

"Thank you Sargent. I'm sure we've reached a mutual understanding through my coworkers that this won't go on her permanent record?"

"Of course, Mrs. Grant."

"Good." She said with a small nod. "And the contents in her purse?"

"Mostly not harmful, minus the pills, which have been dealt with." A woman lieutenant handed her the blue Tori Burch purse.

"Her BMW will be towed to our residence in Vermont. She's coming home with me." The Sargent opened the door to the holding cell and decided to give them some privacy. Karen sat in the corner, a dead expression on her face. She had her romper balled up in her palms and her foot nervously tapped against the floor. They waited in silence for a couple of minutes before she spoke.

"I know you're the one who had me pulled over. I wasn't speeding." She murmured.

"I know where you were going Karen. I know what you were going to do." Olivia replied slowly. Karen pressed her lips together in a thin line. She brought her feet up to tuck under her bottom and pressed her hands against her knees.

"When I was nine years old, we went to Hyannis Port as a family. It was when we first bought the house. I can remember how excited Jerry and I were when we first caught a glimpse of it. We raced out of the blue Mercedes rental car bounded up the long, steep driveway. We practically knocked the front door down off of its hinges. We fought over the master bedroom until Mom and Dad told us it was made for parents exclusively." She looked down at the floor.

"Mom and Dad had been fighting a lot. The avoidance and formalities were normal, but this summer was particularly stressful because Dad had tough competition in that year's race. The house was a complete surprise. I think he got it to please her and to get away from everything." She took the sunglasses off of her head and folded them neatly on her lap.

"It's still the best bundle of memories I have. We went sailing and to the beach and to barbecues. Mom and Dad seemed so happy. He would hold her out over the edge of the sailboat like they were in the Titanic. My mother's contagious laughter dissolved the stress we all had been feeling." She smiled for a brief moment.

"I never wanted to go back to California. And I was justified. Once we went back, everything returned to normal. Less fighting, more stiffness." She looked up and Olivia noticed that she had tears streaming down her face.

"Now I don't even have normal. Jerry's dead, Teddy barely knows who I am, Melody is in California, and Fitzgerald is off living in a castle with his queen and princess. All of the characters in my play have left. I wanted to feel them again before I joined Jerry. I wanted one final act." She locked eyes with Olivia.

"Until Olivia Pope came riding in on her glorious stallion wearing her huge white hat. Should've known that would be the conclusion." Olivia crossed her arms around her suddenly chilled body and kept her gaze on Karen. Tears fell tragically down the young girl's face and onto the concrete floor.

"When I was 12, my mother died in a plane crash. Or so I thought. Not a week had passed before I was sent away to boarding school. I never returned home again." Karen looked at her expectantly.

"My dad fed me fairytale after fairytale. He worked for the Smithsonian in the archeology department, my mother died quickly and peacefully. Boarding school was the only place for me because I was so smart. What could be better than dining with the children of kings? The list goes on." She shifted her weight slightly.

"I have bundles of memories like you do. They haunt me sometimes. Especially when I look at Isabella and realize that I'm someone's mother. Both of my parents never wore the white hat. Only black capes. They lied and conned and schemed and played dirty. All of the things I originally went to Washington to change." She took a couple of steps towards the bench as she felt her stepdaughter warming up to her. She sighed.

"I love your father. He makes me happy. He filled this void in me that I didn't even know existed. I wined and dined with plenty of politicians during my college years, but the day he locked eyes with mine I felt my heart literally stop." She smiled and flung her hands down.

"I don't probably look like a homewrecker to you. I never aspired to be one. I have always been a woman that values profession over everything. We kept trying to push away our feelings, but we never could. And no matter how many times I tried to walk away from him and stand in the sun, I always found myself standing in front of him wanting Vermont more than anything." She ran her thumb over her wedding band.

"You might feel like you can never get that feeling you had in Hyannis Port back. I promise you, you can." Tears continued to flow down Karen's swollen face.

"It's so easy to blame you for everything when deep down you feel responsible."

"Karen-" Olivia took a seat down next to her on the bench.

"I miss him." She sobbed suddenly, collapsing into Olivia's arms. She rubbed her back gently.

"I know you do."

"It hurts!" Karen choked. Tears welled in Olivia's eyes.

"I'm going to bring you home. Everything is going to be okay." Her body vibrated against Olivia as she continued to cry everything she had been holding in. She rubbed her back soothingly.

"I love you Karen. I'm here for you."

* * *

><p>Fitz finished washing up the dishes with Dorin and walked over to the bouncer his daughter was falling asleep in. He bent down and unbuckled her before taking her into his arms. Nanny Dorin watched intently. Her boss had been off ever since Olivia had left, and she did not have the slightest clue why. It had been sudden and abrupt, but he remained somewhat collected and cool.<p>

"Leave two dishes of the ravioli out. I will heat it up for Liv when she arrives home." He requested, rubbing Isabella's back.

"Should we be expecting a guest, Mr. Grant?" She asked. Fitz sighed.

"Dorin, I thought we were over the Mr. Grant crap. Please call me Fitz. And yes, my daughter is coming home with her." _There's why he's off_, Dorin noted.

"Shall I make up her room?" She asked.

"I think it's already made from the last time she was here. She will be tired so just make sure everything is ready."

"Noted, Mr.-" He raised an eyebrow. She laughed. "Fitz. I feel sleazy calling you that when Señora Olivia is not here." He laughed slightly.

"She knows I have no eyes on anyone but her. This house is a constant reminder of that." He says with a small smile. Dorin does not know their whole story, only bits and pieces, but she knows that he had built this house to fulfill his and Olivia's dream. There were many touches in the house that only spoke to them, photos that she enjoyed to look at in her spare time. Her employers' relationship was not out of a Disney movie, but it was enchanting in its own right.

"When they come in please send them to my office. I have a few emails to send."

"Of course Mr. Fitz." He sighed and began to make his way to the nursery.

"Better than Mr. Grant." He quipped. Dorin laughed and continued to clean up.

"What book shall we read tonight my princess?" He bent down to pick up one of his favorites. "_Goodnight Moon_. Such a classic." He settled in to the rocking chair and repositioned Isabella in his arms. It felt cold and lonely sitting in the chair without Olivia. It was their tradition every night to read together as a family. It was his favorite part of the day, and Olivia's too. Even though Isabella was too young to really understand, her parents' voices lulled her into content. Fitz opened the book while his mind drifted towards Karen. He could remember sitting in a rocking chair reading this book with both Jerry and Karen on his lap. His day could have been horrible, but those two kids running into his arms every day made everything he did worth it.

No matter what Karen had done, he was always going to love her. She was his little girl who had her innocence taken away far too soon. He thought he had done the best for his kids only to realize he had failed them. It was something he always wrestled with on top of Jerry's death. The Presidency had not been worth the toll it took on his family. While Karen lashed out and distanced herself, he always wanted his little girl to come home to him. He slowly ran a finger against Isabella's naked toes before bringing them up to his mouth to kiss. Her eyes half shut, a small smile formed on her face.

"Now, where was I?"

* * *

><p>Karen wrapped her father's Yale sweatshirt around her tighter as the signs for Vermont passed by her. She had thrown up at the police station after her panic attack in Olivia's arms. Luckily, her stepmother always came into a situation prepared. She had slept for most of the ride listening to the soothing playlist that flowed through the car speakers. Olivia kept her gaze fixated on the road, visibly in thought.<p>

"Liv?" She asked quietly.

"Yes?" Karen pressed her lips together.

"Does my dad know?"

"No. Just that you were in trouble. I couldn't lie to him about where I was going." She nodded slowly, bringing her knees closer to her.

"If you're hungry I have a KIND bar in my purse with a Gatorade. You should replenish." Karen fished through the white purse and took both objects out. She sipped slowly on the red Gatorade, still feeling queasy from the earlier ordeal.

"What are you going to do with me?" She asked after a few more moments of silence.

"I'm not going to tell you what you have to do. You're an adult now. But I think we need to go see a professional about this."

"I agree. I was always too scared to ask my parents for a therapist." Olivia turned and looked at her, taking her hand off the wheel and resting it on top of hers.

"We will get through this, remember? You're a gladiator." Karen nodded. She turned her attention back towards the road.

"When I got kidnapped, I was scared to see someone too. I was in complete denial that I had PTSD. But it was the best decision I ever made." Karen looked at her in shock. She was learning a lot of new things about her stepmother tonight. She realized that she had never really gotten to know Olivia. She just automatically wrote her off and went about hating her.

"I'm sorry about how rude I was to you. It wasn't right." She picked at the label on the bottle in her hands nervously. Olivia turned back to her.

"Thank you Karen. That means a lot. While you shouldn't have acted the way you did, I understand how hard this all was for you." Karen leaned back into her seat.

"So you get to ask me questions. Anything at all."

"What do you mean?" Karen asked.

"We have an hour until we get home. In that hour, you get to ask me any questions you want about absolutely anything. Nothing is off limits."

"Okay…" She agreed hesitantly. Olivia turned to look at her.

"Go on. I know you have some."

"How did you get into politics?" Olivia sighed.

"My parents were both in political circles so I grew up surrounded by it. But of course then I went off to boarding school and there I found I really liked social studies. I loved public speaking. I was a member of Model UN, Student Council, all of those types of clubs. I wanted to believe in the goodness of democracy. But I found out relatively quickly that behind the dark curtain of power, our government could be so ugly. I felt challenged to rectify that."

"How did you get assigned to my dad's campaign?" Olivia smiled.

"Easy. Cyrus. He was my professor at Georgetown Law. After majoring in Political Science at Princeton, I decided I wanted to go down the law track. I wanted to either open my own practice or become a federal judge. I was his top student. He saw my strengths in Communications and knew I'd be a good fit for the job." She glanced over at Karen.

"I know you have more pressing questions than these." Karen shook her head.

"I don't need to know anything about you and my dad to trust that you are both meant for each other. When you're in the same room together it's sickening." Olivia laughed. "I just want to get to know you better." Karen offered with a small smile. Olivia nodded.

"Question for a question?" She asked. Karen nodded in mutual agreement.

* * *

><p>When he heard Olivia's car pull in the driveway, it was 10 o'clock. He was just finishing an email to Cyrus finalizing the guest speakers list for the Leaders of Tomorrow Ball. Before he could rise to meet them, he looked up to find Karen standing in the doorway of his office. They stood for a few moments in silence, her tear-filled eyes locking with his.<p>

"Daddy." She whispered. Before he could say anything, she was in his lap crying into his Chargers sweatshirt. He rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her head.

"I'm so sorry." She babbled in between sobs. He brought her closer to his chest.

"No matter what, you'll always be my little Kare-bear." Fitz comforted, kissing her shoulder. Olivia stood in the doorway watching the interaction. After a few moments, she left them to have their own moment and retreated to Isabella's nursery.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Karen's arc will only continue for the next two chapters, and soon we are going to be bringing Teddy into this. Next chapter is the ball! Please leave a review and don't forget to check me out on social media! I do weekly Scandal reviews and it would be cool to have some readers watching them. Make sure to leave a comment on them if you come from here!<strong>

**XXX, Becca**

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